Four year old son

[diana]

Last night I noticed that my son had a rash on both sides of his chest.  It is red and consists of very small bumps that itch.  I thought possibly it was just a heat rash.  However, when he woke up this morning it has spread.  It is now on the underside of his arm from the pit to the elbow, around his side to his back (it covers about half of his back), and behind his left ear.  The itching is not overwhelming.  He has no signs of fever and as far as I can determine he has not been exposed to any poison ivy, oak, or sumac.  The spreading of the rash is concerning me, also he says that his throat is dry and he breaths heavily to clear it (this is only occasionally).  Any help you can provide with identifying this rash would be appreciated.

[Debra C. Brown]

My 4-year old daughter recently went to visit her dermatologist for discoloration/pigmentation spots under her chin, left armpit, and right buttocks.  

The doctor diagnosed it as Pityrasis Alba and recommended a topical lotion for 2 weeks.  I have searched the Internet for additional information, but I haven't been able to find anything.

If at all possible, please provide additional information about this problem.

[from erin to patricia]

last thursday i woke up with a similar rash.  it was small red bumps on my chest that spread up over my shoulders and ono my back, then went onto my stomach, upper arms, and upper thighs.  some of the bumps were itchy and some were not but, like your son, the itch wasn't unbearable.  i went to the doctor on friday and she told me it was a mild form of a condition called pityriasis (pit-uh-rye-us-sis) rosea.  it's caused by a virus, is common in children and young adults, follows a "t-shirt and shorts" pattern (meaning it doesn't typically spread past the elbows, knees, or neck) and clears up on it's own within a few weeks.  if you find pictures of this rash, it'll probably look a lot worse than you son's rash but everyone is different (mine's not as bad as the pictures and, in fact, has started to clear up after only a few days instead of weeks). give him cool baths with mild soap and putting some powder on him will keep his skin drier.  also, applying some mild astringent or sitting in the sun for a little while may help to dry it out a little quicker. i hope this was helpful for you...  
erin :)

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

Diana:

I assume your son is a child.  The kind of rash you describe is usually a virus.  The specific one doesn't matter.  If he has no fever or cough, etc, you just need to wait out the rash for a couple of days just as you would if her were sniffling.  It is not necessary for you to change soaps or depergents, avoid the sun or swimming, and so forth.  If the rash persists for more than few more days, or if your son develops a fever, you may want to consult your pediatrician.

Best.

Dr. R